Device for disinfecting the mouthpieces of telephones



DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING THE MOUTHPIECES OF TELEPHONES Filed Sept. 26, 1938 Patented July 22, 1941 DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING THE. MOUTH- PIECES OF TELEPHONES Herbert Leonard Kent, London, England, assignor to Kent Jones and Company Limited, London, England, a company of Great Britain Application September 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,805 In Great Britain October 4, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for disinfecting the mouthpieces of telephones.

According to the invention a disinfecting attachment for telephone mouthpieces comprises a base member and an upper member which are detachably connected together to form an annular container to receive a disinfectant, the base member being perforated to permit the access of the disinfectant vapors to the interior of the mouthpiece, and securing means on the base member consisting of a downwardly extending expanded flange which is split by a V-shaped opening to permit of its expansion and a member slidable within the said opening so as to force apart the edges of the flange.

When in position on the telephone mouthpiece the annular container fits around the rim of the mouthpiece leaving the sound passage substantially unobstructed, and the securing means are concealed within the mouthpiece. The upper member may also be perforated to allow the vapours to reach the exterior of the mouthpiece. The device is especially suitable for attachment to the mouthpieces of the so-oalled hand microphone in which the height of the wall of the mouthpiece is greatly reduced on one side, and the interior of the mouthpiece is only slightly or not at all flared.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an attachment according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the attachment with the upper member removed,

Figure 3 is a view of the under side of the upper member,

Figure 4 is a slide elevation of the attachment,

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the attachment with the upper member removed, and

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation with the upper member removed.

The disinfecting attachment consists of a flat annular base member I and an annular upper member 2 of approximately semi-circular cross section, which fit together to form an annular container to receive a disinfectant. The latter may consist of an annular mass of solid material containing a volatile disinfecting substance, or an absorbent material impregnated with a volatile disinfecting substance. Projections 3 on the upper member 2 enter recesses I in the base member I and hold the said members together when the upper member is rotated slightly.

The base member I is provided with means for securing it to the interior of the telephone mouthpiece consisting of a downwardly extending expanding flange 5 which is secured to the underside of the base member by three lugs 6. The flange 5 is advantageously made of fibre, and its outer surface may be roughened to increase its gripping power. It is also preferably shaped to conform to the internal contour of the mouthpiece wall where it grips. The flange is split by a V-shaped opening I between the inclined edges of which fits a Wedge 8, which is deeply grooved to guide it along the edges of the opening and hold it in position. By means of a grub screw 9 mounted in the base member I the wedge can be pushed downwards so as to force apart the edges of the opening II and expand the flange. By thus expanding the flange when it is inserted in the mouthpiece the attachment can be firmly secured in position. The base member I is provided with perforations I0 through which the disinfectant vapors can reach the interior of the mouthpiece. In order to renew the disinfectant the upper member can be easily removed without disturbing the base member.

What I claim is:

A disinfecting attachment for telephone mouthpieces comprising a base member and an upper member detachably connected together to form an annular container to receive a disinfectant and flt around the rim of the mouthpiece, the said base member being perforated to permit the access of disinfectant vapours to the interior of the mouthpiece, and securing means on the base member consisting of a downwardly extending expanding flange which is split by a V-shaped opening to permit of its expansion and a member slidable within the said opening so as to force apart the edges of the opening and thereby expand the flange.

HERBERT LEONARD KENT. 

